Sony Introduces World's Lightest 6" eReader with Enhanced Touch Screen

• Hold effortlessly in one hand: just 168 grams and 8.9mm thin
• Browse and download a huge range of eBooks via Wi-Fi
• Turn pages smoothly, zoom in and out, look up in dictionary or make notes, all on an advanced high-contrast touch screen
• Borrow eBooks directly and wirelessly from your public library
• Over one month of battery life* lets you read without recharging on holidays or trips
• Available in three fashionable colours: red, white and black

* See detailed technical specifications at the end of this press release

To view the Enriched Media Release, click here: http://smr.newswire.ca/en/sony-of-canada-ltd/sony-introduces-worlds-lightest-6-ereader

TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Treat yourself to the most natural and immersive reading experience with the new Reader™ Wi-Fi® (model PRS-T1) from Sony - the world's lightest¹ 6" eReader that also features an enhanced touch screen.

Now with Wi-Fi, Reader gives you the additional freedom to buy, borrow or get eBooks for free wherever there's a wireless connection available.

As part of Sony's continued effort to support the Public Library System, Reader Wi-Fi will also be the first eReader to offer wireless connectivity to the public library system in Canada via a dedicated icon on the device to allow easy and convenient borrowing of free e-books with a valid library card. Readers can access and download their favourite best-sellers, new releases, classics, and periodicals via a Wi-Fi connection from Reader™ Store or shop from a wide range of bookstores and other websites that provide books in digital formats compatible with Reader Wi-Fi, such as EPUB, PDF and TXT. In addition, Reader Store now offers Canada's two National newspapers the Globe & Mail and National Post as well as Canada's most-read newspaper, Toronto Star as single daily editions or monthly subscriptions. Other regional Postmedia Network offerings are also now available, such as Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald, Vancouver Sun, and Ottawa Citizen.

"We believe in giving readers more freedom and flexibility while reading, and the new Reader Wi-Fi gives avid readers more access to content than ever. Bibliophiles can now buy, borrow or download free books and periodicals wherever there's a Wi-Fi connection," said Tim Algate, Marketing Manager for Reader Digital Books at Sony of Canada Ltd.

Slipping effortlessly into a bag or pocket, Reader Wi-Fi is no bigger than a paperback book. 8.9mm thin and weighing just 168 grams it's supremely comfortable to hold, with a gently curving profile that fits naturally in your hand.

Enjoying your favourite book is even more of a pleasure with the advanced Dual Touch screen. The E Ink^® Pearl electronic paper displays a clear, glare-free, high contrast image that's easy to read for hours, even in direct sunlight.

Touch the screen to choose a book. Swipe a finger to turn the page, or zoom in and out by pinching your fingers together or apart. Tap on a word and hold to find its meaning from two built-in English language dictionaries. Words can also be translated to and from English using ten built-in translation dictionaries (including French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Dutch). You can even write notes on the page or highlight text with a finger or the supplied stylus - just like a real book.

Finding your way around the longest title is refreshingly quick and intuitive. Bookmark pages and return to them instantly, or search for particular passages and jump straight to the text you're looking for.

While you're reading, get extra information easily on a word or phrase with in-text access to Google™ and Wikipedia^® look-ups. A simple browser also lets you download other compatible⁵ documents from the web via Wi-Fi for easy reading while you're on the move.

Reader Wi-Fi handles a wide range of digital formats, including the popular EPUB eBook standard plus PDF and TXT documents. View your collection of digital photos on screen, or plug in a pair of headphones and listen to stored music tracks while you're reading. The front cover image of your current title or a favourite photo can be displayed as a screensaver when Reader is in standby mode.

Fine-tune your reading experience with eight adjustable font sizes plus a choice of six font styles. Screen contrast and brightness are easily adjusted for comfortable viewing in any lighting conditions.

Its long battery life lets you read for over one month without needing a recharge (3 weeks with wireless on). Reader Wi-Fi can be used while the battery charges via USB on a connected PC, so there's no need to interrupt your favourite book.

With a capacity of 2GB - enough to hold around 1,200 eBooks - internal memory space is easily expanded with an optional microSD card to hold tens of thousands more.

Style-matched optional accessories for your Reader include a form-fitting cover with built-in lighting arm that angles for reading at night or in dimly lit places.

Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore download offer⁶

Sony's first offer in its collaboration with J.K. Rowling's eagerly anticipated Pottermore website (www.pottermore.com) is a specially-created limited edition of Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) which includes a voucher that enables Harry Potter fans to download the first Harry Potter eBook title, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, from Pottermore, when it becomes available. Pottermore, partnered with Sony, is a unique website which builds an exciting and immersive online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital eBooks.

Reader Wi-Fi (model: PRS-T1) and Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore download offer (model: PRS-T1HBC) will be available in Canada from October 2011 for about $169.

¹ The world's lightest eBook Reader with diagonal screen size of 6" as of 31st August 2011.

² Reader Store will soon be available in Europe, coming first to the UK, Germany and Austria in 2011.

³ World's first according to Sony research as of 31st August 2011.

⁴ Requires valid library card. Device feature - available only in UK, US, and Canada.

⁵ Unencrypted ePub and PDF files.

⁶ Availability of Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore download offer varies by country.

Technical Specifications

*Editor's Note: Press releases are available for news media on the Sony of Canada news and information website at www.sony.ca/presscentre .

About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High Definition. Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that include the market-leading Blu-ray Disc™ players, BRAVIA® televisions, Cyber-shot® digital cameras, Handycam® Camcorders, VAIO® computers, broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience.

Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games and online businesses. With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,000 employees support a network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 52 Sony retail locations across Canada.

Sony Canada is devoted to the betterment of children, the environment, and the community. Through the Sony Canada Charitable Foundation (SCCF), Sony Canada aims to maximize its support of charitable and philanthropic organizations, including Make-A-Wish® Canada, the United Way of Canada and Earth Day Canada.

SOURCE Sony of Canada Ltd.

Image with caption: "Pottermore, partnered with Sony, is a unique website which builds an exciting and immersive online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital eBooks. (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110907_C9244_PHOTO_EN_2956.jpg

Image with caption: "Reader™ Wi-Fi® is available in three fashionable colours: red, white and black (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110907_C9244_PHOTO_EN_2957.jpg

Image with caption: "Turn pages smoothly, zoom in and out, look up in dictionary or make notes, all on the advanced Reader™ Wi-Fi® high-contrast touch screen (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110907_C9244_PHOTO_EN_2958.jpg